About Grace Bailey
Lived 1904 – 1983 (aged 78–79). Grace Bailey was an American painter, inker and animator.
Grace Bailey Turner (January 1, 1904 – August 3, 1983) was the head of the Ink & Paint Department at Walt Disney Animation Studios from 1954 to 1972.
Biography Born Elizabeth Grace Randall in Willoughby, Ohio, Grace Bailey attended the Cleveland School of Art beginning in 1922. Early in her career, she worked on Max Fleischer's Out of the Inkwell series as an inker.
In 1930 Bailey moved to Southern California where she began making custom lampshades.
Legacy and leadership Former inker Merle Welton recalled that Bailey threatened to fire her from the department in 1953 for meeting with animators during her lunch break to show them her portfolio. Welton said she called Bailey "the Mother Superior because she ran the ink-and-paint department like a nunnery."
Don’t just read it —
keep it.
Full-length biographies made to live with: read them, listen on the way to work, watch them tonight.
- E-book
- Audio
- Video
Instant download · yours to keep · every purchase keeps this site free
Important facts
People in Grace Bailey's life
Named in this biography and alive at the same time
Related people
Same field, nearest in time
Contemporaries
People whose lives overlapped Grace Bailey's
Frequently asked questions
Who was Grace Bailey?
American animator
When was Grace Bailey born?
Grace Bailey was born in 1904 in Willoughby.
When did Grace Bailey die?
Grace Bailey died on 23 August 1983 in Ocklawaha.
What was Grace Bailey's occupation?
Grace Bailey was a painter, inker and animator.
What nationality was Grace Bailey?
Grace Bailey was American.
Sources & further reading
Cite this page
APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Grace Bailey. https://biography.guide/grace-bailey/
MLA: "Grace Bailey." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/grace-bailey/.
Chicago: "Grace Bailey." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/grace-bailey/.
Data last updated: 2026-09-20 · Spot an error? Report a correction.
Page generated 2026-09-27 05:01 UTC